Mix in a few chillout garden party ideas

Keep both relaxing and energetic fun to hand, in case the party vibe goes either way. For chillout, try:

Board Games — Play not to win, but just to chill out. Add chess, backgammon, scrabble and cards.

Blind Herb Smelling — Blindfold your guests and guess the herbs they’re sniffing. Spearmint, tarragon, chervil and parsley are good examples. If your guests are up for planting the seed packets from their invites, this is the good activity for it.

A Reading Chillout Area — Leave a few magazines, old books and newspapers waiting. Cordon off this area, using rugs and a deckchair.

Don’t forget your energetic party games

Play Frisbee, Croquet, Space Hopper racing — Buy these essentials from your nearest kids or sports store. Great fun, when your party needs a jolt of energy.

Cartwheels and Handstands — These are best played before eating. Make sure someone is showing you how to do both of these, before you attempt.

Hold a Hula Hoop Contest — Make this a game, timing each player. The player who can hold Hula Hoop the longest, without needing to restart their spins, is awarded a prize.

Dangling Donuts – Tie the donuts to long bits of string. Hang them from a clothes line, so they hover at chin level on the average player. Now players must eat their dangling donut in the quickest time possible. No hands allowed.

Name-It — You’ll need a football for this.

Stand everyone in a circle

The first person with the ball calls out a category – like “cars" – then throws the ball to another person…

…who must then shout out a related item (“Ferrari”) before passing the ball on

Keep the game fast. If a person gets stuck, holds the ball too long or repeats an item – they’re out!

Complete your garden party ideas, with a few party favors. These might include: